As much as I adore the arena, I rarely make the time to watch bouts anymore. Watching the clash of two wills and being unable to try my mettle against them takes the fun out of the contests. I was champion long ago, but every arena champion must someday bow out to make room for the next great duelist.

-Basen Koh on why he doesn't attend arena events

To Reid, the morning had been a blur. He woke early and headed to the merchant's guild to check the notices. There weren't any new ones, but a few had been claimed. He didn't know if he was earlier than Tassis or if the corva wasn't working the markets today, so he left without any new notices, information, or gossip. Leah was ready to go when he returned home, and together, they stopped by Veris's tea shop, where he managed to avoid most of the shop owner's teasing. Reid and Leah chatted over breakfast but were too excited to stay long. They passed the Immaculate Collection on the way to the arena, and there wasn't any sign of Basen. Reid didn't know if that was a good sign or not. All that seemed to take no time.

"When does the match start, noon?" Reid asked, speaking loudly over the mass of people around them.

"Yeah, about two hours from now. I didn't expect it to be this busy already!"

The arena filled an open square at least twice the size of the Grand Market. The building was an oval with high walls topped with a ring of interconnected columns open to the sky. A rough line extended out from an obvious entrance, but it didn't appear that people were being allowed inside yet. The square was packed with people of a variety of races and styles. Reid noticed a trend among the gathered.

"Why are so many people wearing blue?"

"What?" Leah yelled back.

The crowds were shifting constantly, but Reid spotted a less crowded area and pointed it out. They moved out of the direct path of the street that funneled into the square and climbed up several steps leading to a large fountain across from the arena. Several small carts had been set up around the square, with two near the fountain. Reid resisted the urge to see what they were selling and ask for advice.

"I asked why so many people are wearing blue," he said, able to speak normally once more.

"I think blue is for Arvind Sevash. He's a water mage. A bunch of people have black on, too. I'm guessing they're rooting for the other guy."

Leah didn't react but didn't mention the other contestant's name. Not that Reid remembered what it was. Arvind just stuck in his mind thanks to his escort and travel companion.

"Oh. That makes sense. Are they really that famous? Is there a combat ranking or something?"

Leah sat down on the edge of the fountain before answering. Reid followed her lead.

"Probably pretty well known. There is an arena league, but I don't know if they're on it. This is different anyway, so the rankings wouldn't matter."

"How is it different?"

"Rank. The league is only for mages. A greater mage can compete, but they need to unbind their high rank items and drop down from Greater Mage."

"Really? People willingly do that?"

"Yeah. I think it's because there aren't that many Greater Mages, and they're usually busy people. That and because of the scale."

Reid understood, thanks to basic lessons in school. When people thought about magic and military makeup, the heart and soul of any army were the rank and file Mages. They had power and could fight contained battles. Greater Mages were often considered the people who assaulted whole cities with their power. The jump in scale was terrifying. They only came out during full blown war, when a country needed to counter other Greater Mages or lay siege to a fortified position.

"Yeah, that makes sense. That's why Trace and the others have been preparing. The arena just isn't built to contain that."

"Yep. That's what makes this fight something else. Not many people get to see this kind of contest."

Reid felt a thrill. He'd never dreamed of being someone who could wield that kind of terrible magic, but he couldn't deny that he wanted to see it in action.

"I can't wait. Should we get in line? Do the tickets say anything? I don't think I even looked to see if they had seats assigned."

Leah pulled them out.

"Yep, there's a seat number on each. Oh, wait. That's weird. It has special instructions. We're supposed to enter near Sunset Street. That's on the other side of the arena."

"Maybe Basen had special tickets? I guess he's pretty important."

"I just hope we don't get stuck next to some fancy rich person who frowns at us when we cheer," Leah said, laughing.

Reid couldn't imagine Basen sitting next to someone like that.

"I'd pay to see that. Should we go around then? Maybe we should stop at a stall on the way..."

They arrived at the southern entrance, and Reid felt out of place in the small crowd of well dressed individuals. Part of it was his attire, but most of it was the ridiculous giant blue hand Leah had convinced him to buy. He wore it over his normal hand, but it was bigger than his head—even before considering the raised finger—and had "Arvind's Army" written on the front. He tried to hide it behind his back, which only made Leah laugh harder and drew the eyes of everyone around them.

A man in a formal robe approached and cleared his throat.

"Good morning. If you're looking for the arena entrance, I'm afraid you'll need to walk around to the other side of the building."

"Wait, I know you!" a familiar voice called from the side.

Reid turned to see Garret Sands approaching.

"Young Master Sands, you know these two?"

"I know this man," Garret said. He held up a hand to show off a golden ring on his finger. "He sold me my first binding just the other day. I'm terribly sorry. I seem to have forgotten your name."

Reid wasn't surprised the man had forgotten his name despite assuring Reid he wouldn't forget the service he provided. He had lost consciousness shortly after that.

"Reid Aveno. Wonderful to see you again, Mr. Sands."

"Right, Reid. Have you come to watch today's contest? My father is quite excited to see the matchup."

"We are. Basen was kind enough to give us his tickets."

"Ahh. I figured as much. I have always hoped to see him in attendance, but at least someone I know will be in his seat today. I've been rude," Garret turned to Leah. "I am Garret Sands. It is a pleasure to meet a woman so fair on so fine a day."

Garret bent at the waist and grabbed Leah's hand. She'd extended it to shake, but Garret kissed the back of it instead. Leah didn't pull away, but she turned toward Reid while Garret kissed her hand.

Who is this? She mouthed.

Reid shrugged and held a giant blue finger to his lips in a "shushing" gesture. Leah struggled with suppressed laughter, and the man in formal robes frowned at their antics.

"Garret, this is my friend Leah. She's a member of the Dusk Guild. Leah, Garret bought some items from me the other morning."

Garret stood up straight and gracefully ignored Reid's giant blue hand.

"Oh. It's nice to meet you. Yeah. I'm Leah."

"The Dusk Guild? Have you been with them long?"

"Just became a full member a few days ago."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Garret nodded and rubbed his chin. "I know the Dusk Guild has a small combat trial before entry. We should spar sometime."

"Sure," Leah said casually.

Reid would need to see that. He knew Leah was skilled, and while he didn't have any particular grudge against Garret, Reid imagined seeing Leah beat the young noble would be delightful.

"Wonderful. I'll have my people reach out to your people."

"I don't have people."

"I'm sure they'll figure it out, regardless. Ah, but I see seating has begun. Shall we go inside?"

The man who'd approached them first seemed to want to say something to Garret, but Garret ignored him and headed inside.

"Sorry. Thanks for trying to help," Reid said to the man, but he sniffed and walked away.

"Wow. Making friends already, aren't you?" Leah said.

"At least no one is challenging me to fights."

"Yeah, but that's because you look like you've never held a weapon," she said, starting toward the entrance.

"I've held lots of weapons!" he called after her.

At the private entrance, an official looked over their tickets and didn't give them any trouble. He directed them to follow an official who led them through dark stone tunnels. When they emerged into the light, the sight took Reid's breath away.

"Now that's a view," Leah said.

The arena spread out before them. The fighting area was a massive stretch of sand filled with stone columns evenly spaced around the space. Four gates led onto the sand in each cardinal direction, and the entire space was surrounded by seating for thousands. Along the arena's edge was a series of circular plates etched with complex runes. They all glowed with golden light.

Their seats were located just a few feet from the arena floor, directly behind a large platform with a dozen chairs and a few tables. Garret Sands was already sitting down, and Leah let Reid sit beside the noble. The rest of the stadium filled around them, the buzz of excitement slowly building.

"Prime seats, aren't they?" Garret said. "No one in front of us save the announcer and a few special reserved places."

"Who sits down there?" Reid asked.

"There's one for the Arena commissioner, one for the current Arena champion, and a few for the King and his personal guests, though those seats are typically similar to your own—given to those who might appreciate them and otherwise be unable to attend. The rest are officials that judge the contests."

Leah leaned forward to see Garret.

"Does the King ever come? I've never seen him before."

"Once, I saw him here. Not often. There is a good chance today, given the show we're bound to see."

The seats filled in around them. A wealthy looking couple sat next to Leah and ignored her, which she didn't seem upset about. Reid's giant blue hand received the most dirty looks.

"I shouldn't have bought this."

"I'm so glad you did."

When the arena finished filling, a man on the platform in front of them stood and walked to the front where there was another glowing symbol. A voice filled the arena as the man on the platform spoke.

"Welcome one and all to the New Avennia Arena! We have a special show for you today! In honor of the retirement of our most recent arena champion, we have two powerhouses in the arena for the first time. This is no ordinary arena match, no. Today, we'll see the true unrestricted power of two Greater Mages in their prime!"

The crowd cheering was deafening, and Reid and Leah did their best to add to it.

"But before that! For your viewing enjoyment, we have a series of battles between our current arena league combatants! Please join me in welcoming them!"

All four gates opened, and eight pairs of fighters walked out to thunderous applause and cheers. Each pair stopped near one of the pillars in the sand, and glowing lines appeared around each pair, marking off eight individual fighting rings.

"These are all four stars. That's the normal arena limit. I like the big man with the yellow fists over there."

The man in question wasn't human. Reid wasn't familiar with the person's race, but he had a single large eye and massive yellow fists that looked like they were made from stone.

"Begin!"

All the fights began at once. Reid watched the man with yellow fists charge in an attempt to crush his opponent under fist. His opponent, a human woman, darted away and left a small glowing sphere behind. It detonated and launched the big fighter back.

"Whoa!" Leah cried. "What was that? Some kind of explosive power?"

"That's amazing," Reid agreed.

"Just wait, watch this," Garret said.

The man with yellow fists pulled out a small item. Reid couldn't quite see what it was, but the fighter threw his head back like he was drinking something. The flesh on the man's back rippled before massive wings broke through his skin. The wings were made from the same yellow stone like flesh as the fighter's hands.

When he flapped those wings, wind whipped over the ground, making the woman stagger. After that, she couldn't turn around the contest. The wind was relentless, and the constant gale pushed her dropped explosives, preventing her from knocking the other fighter back again. Reid could tell the fight was over, so he focused on some of the other rings. A few had already declared winners, but four were still in progress. Leah pointed out a familiar looking man with glowing blue tattoos.

"Is that the guy from the guild?" Reid asked.

"I think so. Don't remember his name, though. I haven't talked to him since he wasn't an initiate first."

The man used the same ice powers they'd seen him wield against the Dusk Guild's guild master. His opponent wielded two swords that shattered the magic. Reid couldn't see any visible effects, but it was clearly effective. They were evenly matched after the magic was stopped, but the swords gave his opponent the reach he needed to strike a decisive blow.

Reid was shocked to see blood spray across the sand, and his gasp was accompanied by a roar of approval from the crowd. An official rushed over, and a green light washed over the Dusk Guild member.

"The Arena is not for the faint of heart, Reid," Garret said. "But it is very unlikely anyone dies. It hasn't happened in decades. Healers of great power are available at all times."

Reid watched the injured man rise and shake hands with his opponent, unperturbed by the temporary grievous wound.

"I don't think I could do that."

"It's not for everyone," Garret said. Reid wasn't sure if Garret was agreeing with him or just pointing out a fact.

With the distraction, Reid missed the ends of the final three bouts.

The eight winners regrouped, and an official matched them into four pairs.

"A thrilling first round! This event isn't pausing for anything. Let's get these fighters ready for the quarterfinal round!"

Four larger rings manifested around the arena, and the fighters bowed to each other and settled into fighting stances. Reid noted that Garret's favorite still had wings protruding from his back.

"That was a hectic round," Leah said. "I wonder how much essence they have left."

"That's right. Basen mentioned something about essence management being key to fighting in the arena."

"Yeah," Leah said. "That makes sense. I bet we barely see any magic this round. Everyone will be saving for the last two rounds."

"I'm not so sure," Garret said. "Usually, these fights don't happen quite so quickly. It might make sense to use what you have. You can't win the final round if you don't make it to the final round."

"That's true enough," Leah said.

"Begin!" the announcer called.

The fights began, and Reid focused on one of the rings with new fighters. A woman with a shield and hammer charged a very short man with golden glowing shoes. The gold shoed man ran into the air, stepping on nothing and climbing over his assailant. The woman with the shield spun and slammed her hammer against the shield.

Waves of force rippled out of the shield and knocked the man out of the sky. The short man caught himself on a hand and flipped back onto his feet. He sliced a hand through the air, and a solid arc of wind magic blew the sand around the pair into the air, covering the pair for a moment. When the sand cleared, the woman was huddled behind her shield, but Reid could see that the wind blade had cut her lighter arm armor, and the arm holding her hammer was hanging uselessly at her side.

It was a brutal attack he'd not seen used before. Certainly not against a person. The woman didn't give up. She left her shield planted in the ground and rolled away. She swapped her hammer to her other hand and rose again to charge the man. Reid could see the man's grim expression as he swung his arm again. He knew how this would end, and it wouldn't be pretty.

The shield rang again, and the waves of force knocked the man off his feet before striking his final blow. The surprise or lack of height stopped him from righting himself before hitting the ground. Instead, he slid to a stop a moment later. Before he could rise, a hammer tapped his temple. Reid saw the man nod in acceptance of his loss.

"Nice!" Reid said. "Did you see that one?"

"A bit. Classic misdirection," Leah said. "Look at that guy, though."

The contests finished faster than Reid expected, and just one of the four remained active. The two other men Reid had noticed had won their matches. The final match was between a woman with a bow and a man who appeared completely filled with arrows.

"How is he still alive?"

"I have no idea."

The fight was clearly over, but the man somehow refused to fall. A dozen more arrows filled his body, and the crowd around the arena fell into uncomfortable silence.

Finally, an official called it before the man killed himself. The crowd heartily cheered the decision.

"What the heck was that?" Reid asked.

"Pain reduction magic, I would guess," Garret said. "Not the most useful for actual battle. Pain is information about yourself, after all. In the arena, it can be extremely effective."

Reid shook his head. He had a hard time imagining he'd be able to fight like anyone in the arena, but there was no possibility he'd ever fight through something like that, even if he couldn't feel pain.

The semi-final rounds began shortly after the arrow filled man was treated by several healers at once. Garret's favorite fought against the woman with the bow. The man clearly spent everything he had in the earlier rounds and fell without being able to touch the woman.

The second fight was more interesting. The woman with the hammer and shield had been patched up, and she used her magic to try to knock the swordsman off balance. Like in the first round Reid had seen, the man could disrupt the magic used against him, negating his opponent's advantage.

"That seems really powerful," Leah said. "Disrupting magic."

Garret laughed. "Reid sold me an item with that very property! My rings of light can disrupt magical effects, though not quite as thoroughly as that."

"Really, Reid?" Leah said. "You've been hiding this from me?"

Reid held up his hands. "Hey, maybe you should actually see what we have for sale!"

"Maybe I will."

Reid smiled. He'd like that.

The match ended with the shield woman yielding with a sword pressed to her neck.

"Hard fought battles on both halves of the arena! What an opening! Now we've reached the final round. But before we begin, I have a special announcement!"

The crowd quieted, and the contestants turned toward the platform.

"Gathered fighters and fans," the announcer began.

The bright light in the arena dimmed like a cloud passed in front of the sun.

"Please show your respect and deference for our leader, our guiding light, and our King. It is my genuine pleasure to announce the arrival of King Hessian Avennia!"

Reid looked up along with everyone else. Blocking the near noon sun, high above the arena, floated the King's Royal Palace.